Herb Garden: Herbs to Grow Outdoors, in Pots and Indoors
A guide to the herb garden as one group: which herbs grow from seed and which from cuttings, the sun, drainage and soil they share, herbs in pots and indoors in winter, harvesting so plants keep growing, drying and storage, and a member table linking each herb guide.
Sources: University of Missouri Extension, University of Minnesota Extension, Illinois Extension, WSU Extension Master Gardener Program and 6 more. See the sources we used. How we source our guides
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Most herbs are easy to grow in a sunny, well-drained spot, University of Missouri Extension says. Missouri's herb table starts basil, cilantro, dill and parsley from seed in spring, rosemary from cuttings, and mint from cuttings or division. Its rule for flavor: herb oils peak with six to eight hours of full sun a day.
This hub is the start of our herb guides. It covers what the common culinary herbs share, from sun and drainage to harvesting and drying, compares nine extension services where they differ, and links each herb's own guide: basil, cilantro, fennel, mint, rosemary and sage.
Which herbs should you grow first?
Start with the herbs you cook with, then match each to your light and your winters. Washington State University's King County Master Gardeners call herbs generally easy to grow and say most prefer sun and fast-draining soil, and Missouri adds only a few exceptions, such as angelica, woodruff and sweet cicely, that do better in partial shade.
The first split is how long the plant lives. Annual herbs such as basil, cilantro and dill finish in one season; perennials such as chives, mint, oregano, sage and thyme come back each spring where they are hardy, all rated hardy in Missouri's table. Illinois Extension notes the difference in practice: many herbs can be treated as annuals there, while some survive year after year and even give sprigs in the cooler months.
- Quick from seed: basil, cilantro and dill, all sown in spring in Missouri's table. Clemson calls cilantro an easily grown annual.
- Bought or rooted as plants: rosemary, which Missouri propagates by cuttings, and mint, by division or cuttings. Illinois says most rosemary plants begin as cuttings, and that oregano grown from seed may not match its parent, so it prefers division or cuttings.
- Long-lived and low-care once settled: perennial herbs, lavender, rosemary and sage among them, which the WSU Master Gardeners call commonly low maintenance in landscape plantings.
Hardiness decides which perennials last. Missouri rates sage, thyme, oregano, chives and mint hardy, rosemary tender, and parsley, a biennial, half hardy. Illinois Extension finds oregano only marginally hardy to zone 5, needing some winter protection. If your winters are hard, grow the tender ones in pots that come indoors (see below).
Which herbs grow from seed and which from cuttings?
Grow the annuals from seed and the woody perennials from cuttings or nursery plants. Missouri sows many herbs indoors in late winter, on a sunny windowsill kept cool, about 60 F, then moves young plants into the garden once frost danger is over; it starts the smallest seeds first, ideally in February. A few herbs dislike transplanting, so Missouri sows anise, coriander (cilantro), dill and fennel straight into the garden.
The University of Minnesota starts herb seed in late winter under fluorescent lights, roughly 6 to 8 weeks ahead of transplant day, and moves plants out only after frost danger has passed, into soil that stays at 50 F or warmer. It sorts herbs by soil warmth:
- Cool-season (tolerate cooler soil): sage, thyme, dill, cilantro, chives and parsley.
- Warm-season (prefer soil near 60 F): oregano, lavender, rosemary and basil.
Cuttings, division and layering copy a plant you already like. Missouri roots rosemary, sage, lavender, lemon balm and scented geraniums from cuttings, divides tarragon, chives and mint, and layers thyme, sage, rosemary and many other perennials with flexible stems. Its cuttings run 3 to 5 inches, taken from healthy tip growth in late spring or summer, and most root in two to four weeks. Clemson notes that most perennial herbs go into the garden as transplants from small pots; in South Carolina it sets them out in fall or early spring so they root before summer.
The WSU Master Gardeners offer the shortcut: nurseries and spring plant sales sell herbs in 4-inch pots, ready to move into bigger pots or the garden.
How much sun, soil and water do herbs need?
Give most herbs direct sun for 6 hours or more and soil that never stays soggy. Minnesota and the WSU Master Gardeners both set 6 hours as the floor for most herbs, and Minnesota favors south- or west-facing exposures because strong light raises the oils that carry flavor. The WSU Master Gardeners name parsley and mint as herbs that tolerate part shade.
Drainage is the rule the sources repeat most (our reading). Missouri says no important herb grows in wet soil, though a few, mint, lovage and angelica, do well in fairly moist ground; where drainage is poor, it builds raised beds or lays drainage tile. Minnesota avoids heavy clay and soggy sites. Our raised bed guide covers the build.
Most herbs want ordinary soil, not rich soil. Missouri works about 4 inches of compost or peat moss into average ground and warns that very fertile soil tends to grow lush foliage that is poor in flavor, and Minnesota likewise finds rich soil lowers the essential oils. The sources give slightly different pH targets:
| Source | pH | How the source puts it |
|---|---|---|
| U. of Missouri | 6.5 to 7.0 | Produces the best herbs; nearly neutral is best for most |
| U. of Minnesota | 6.0 to 7.5 | Where most herbs grow best |
| Mississippi State | 6.0 to 6.8 | Most herbs, in well-drained soil |
Our reading: 6.5 to 6.8 sits inside all three ranges, so a soil test that lands there needs no correction for herbs.
Water deeply, then let the soil dry a little. Minnesota soaks garden herbs once a week to a depth of 8 inches and warns that constantly wet soil invites root rot. Most perennial herbs that are established and mulched rarely need extra water, the WSU Master Gardeners say, while Mississippi State notes that annual herbs need more soil moisture than perennials.
How to grow herbs in pots and containers
Any pot works if it has drainage holes and a loose, fast-draining mix. Illinois Extension picks small, slow-growing herbs for containers, and the University of Maryland uses a lightweight commercial soilless mix that drains well. Illinois recommends these for pots: rosemary, thyme, chives, parsley, marjoram, summer savory, Greek oregano, bush basil, and variegated, purple or golden sage.
Mint belongs in a pot of its own. Illinois Extension says it can be an extremely aggressive plant and strongly recommends containers; the WSU Master Gardeners grow it in containers because it is invasive, and Clemson does the same for any herb that spreads aggressively. Our mint guide covers pot sizes.
Pots dry faster than beds. Minnesota warns that outdoor container herbs may need water every day in hot weather and feeds them with a half-strength liquid fertilizer every three to four weeks; Illinois waters each pot until water runs from the holes, keeps fertilizer light and pinches plants to keep them compact. Clemson lists basil, sage, winter savory, parsley, chives, oregano and thyme among its picks for containers that come inside for winter.
How to grow herbs indoors in winter
Many herbs grow indoors through winter, but they grow less than they do outside. Missouri says indoor herbs are less productive than outdoor ones and best used fresh. Iowa State's list of herbs to grow indoors runs from basil, cilantro and parsley to rosemary, mint, chives, oregano, thyme and sage, and it names light as often the biggest limit.
| Source | Window | Grow lights in winter |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa State | Ideally 4 to 6 hours of direct sun a day | 12 to 16 hours on a timer, which bay laurel, thyme and rosemary may need |
| U. of Maryland | South or west window, at least 5 hours of sun | 14 to 16 hours a day |
| U. of Missouri | South or west window | Grow lamps or fluorescent lights if no bright spot exists |
| U. of Minnesota | South- or west-facing works best | About 12 hours of artificial light a day |
Iowa State finds that parsley, mint and chives cope with a little less light, and that long, lanky growth may mean a plant needs more.
Water and air matter next. Iowa State checks the mix by touch and waters when it is dry, before any wilting, and favors clay or terracotta pots for their porous walls. Missouri never leaves a pot standing in a saucer of water. The University of Maryland mixes two parts soilless mix to one part perlite, mists daily or sets pots on a tray of wet pebbles for humidity, and keeps plants away from drafts and heat vents.
Move pots in before frost (Maryland, Missouri). Maryland adds that potted mint, chives and tarragon do better for a light frost before moving in, since it tends to bring on a rest period. Iowa State moves perennial herbs back outdoors in late spring, and Missouri says perennials improve when they spend summer outside. Maryland lists rosemary among the tender herbs it overwinters indoors; our rosemary guide covers when to move it.
How to harvest herbs so they keep growing
Cut often but never too much at once, and harvest in the morning after the dew is gone (Missouri, UNH). Most herbs carry the most oil just as the flower buds begin to open, Missouri says; mints are the exception, at their peak in full bloom.
- Annual herbs: UNH starts cutting at about 8 inches tall and cuts leafy annuals back to about 4 inches so they regrow; Illinois leaves 4 to 6 inches of shoots.
- Perennial herbs: UNH waits for 4 to 6 inches of growth and cuts at most 1/3 of the plant; Illinois also takes only the top third. Missouri allows a perennial to be cut back to about half its height.
- Pinching: pinching stem tips makes bushier plants, UNH says, and Illinois Extension finds the same in basil, where it also removes flowers since they can affect leaf flavor.
- Late season: Mississippi State eases off heavy cutting of perennial herbs after late summer so they have time to regrow, and UNH, in New Hampshire, stops cutting back after August.
Where the sources split, on a third or a half of a perennial, our reading is to start with a third and take more only from a large, established plant.
How to dry and store herbs
Drying is the easiest way to keep herbs, according to the Georgia-based National Center for Home Food Preservation: warm, dry, moving air, and no sun, which can cost flavor and color. It sorts herbs by leaf:
- Sturdy herbs such as parsley, thyme, sage, rosemary and summer savory dry easily in small hanging bundles.
- Tender-leaf herbs such as the mints, lemon balm, basil, tarragon and oregano hold more water and mold if they dry slowly, so the Center hangs them inside paper bags with holes punched in the sides.
Minnesota air-dries bundles of 4 or 5 stems hung upside down for 7 to 14 days, and dries in a dehydrator for 2 to 6 hours at 95 to 115 F. For freezing, it chops herbs into ice cube trays with water.
Keep dried leaves in airtight containers, out of heat and light. The sources differ on shelf life: Minnesota keeps dried herbs up to one year, while Missouri says their quality fades within two to three years and discards them then. When a recipe calls for fresh herbs, the Center swaps in a quarter to a third as much dried herb, since dried herbs usually taste 3 to 4 times as strong.
Herb guides: the members of the herb garden
The table lists the common culinary herbs with Missouri's growth category and propagation, plus our pick of one thing to know about each from the sources above. Six have their own guide so far.
| Herb | Growth category (Missouri) | Start from (Missouri) | What to know (our pick) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basil | Annual, tender | Seed in spring | A warm-season herb that wants soil near 60 F (Minnesota) |
| Cilantro | Annual, hardy | Seed in spring | Sown where it grows; Missouri does not transplant it |
| Mint | Perennial, hardy | Division, cuttings | Grow it in a container; it spreads (Illinois, WSU) |
| Rosemary | Woody perennial, tender | Cuttings | Not winter hardy outdoors in Missouri; grow it in a pot |
| Sage | Woody perennial, hardy | Seed in spring, cuttings | Missouri replaces plants every 5 years |
| Chives | Perennial, hardy | Seed in spring, division | Takes shade or light shade; can be grown indoors (Missouri) |
| Dill | Annual, hardy | Seed in spring | Sown in place, like cilantro; Missouri keeps it away from fennel |
| Fennel | Perennial, hardy | Seed in spring, division | Can grow 3 to 6 feet tall; every type can self-seed enough to turn invasive |
| Oregano | Perennial, hardy | Seed in spring, division, cuttings | Marginally hardy to zone 5 (Illinois) |
| Parsley | Biennial, half hardy | Seed in spring | Slow to germinate (Missouri); tolerates part shade (WSU) |
| Thyme | Woody perennial, hardy | Seed in spring, cuttings, division | Needs very well-drained soil (Illinois); not long-lived (Missouri) |
What you'll need for herbs
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Barrina TX-S50 4FT LED Grow Light
A light for herbs indoors in winter, on a timer for about 12 to 16 hours a day. The maker gives its PPFD as 362.23 micromoles per square meter per second at 3.93 inches, and it hangs from the included chains.
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GE 24-Hour Plug-In Mechanical Timer, 2 Pack
12 to 16 hours on a timer, which bay laurel, thyme and rosemary may need (Iowa State).
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Ball Regular Mouth Pint Mason Jars with Lids and Bands
Keep dried leaves in airtight containers, out of heat and light.
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Sources we used
Every number above comes from these pages, each saved when we read it; where two sources disagree, both appear with their own scope.
- "University of Missouri Extension, G6470: Growing Herbs at Home" (reviewed May 2022)
- "University of Minnesota Extension: Growing herbs in home gardens" (reviewed 2026)
- "Illinois Extension, Good Growing: How to Grow Popular Herbs" (May 15, 2020) and "Growing Herbs in Containers"
- "WSU Extension Master Gardener Program, King County: Herbs" (Puget Sound Gardening Tip Sheet 8)
- "Clemson Cooperative Extension, HGIC 1311: Herbs"
- "University of Maryland Extension: Growing Herbs in Containers and Indoors" (updated March 4, 2024)
- "Iowa State University Extension: Can I grow herbs indoors over the winter?" (updated March 19, 2024)
- "UNH Cooperative Extension: The Herb Garden" (Master Gardener manual, chapter 16)
- "Mississippi State University Extension, P3677: Easy-to-Grow Herbs for the Landscape"
- "National Center for Home Food Preservation: Drying Herbs" (University of Georgia)
Related guides
- Companion planting chart, where herbs appear as companions and the evidence is graded.
- Fungus gnats, the small flies of indoor pots.
- How long do seeds last, for checking last year's herb seed.
- How to grow tomatoes, which Illinois Extension pairs with basil in the kitchen.
- Low light houseplants, for the dim spots indoors that herbs do not suit.
- Pothos care, an easy trailing houseplant.
- Indoor herb gardens, our picks of countertop gardens with their own grow light.
Frequently asked questions
What herbs are easiest to grow?
University of Missouri Extension says most herbs are easy to grow in a sunny, well-drained spot. Its herb table starts basil, cilantro, dill and parsley from seed sown in spring and rosemary and mint from cuttings or division. The WSU Master Gardeners call perennial herbs like lavender, rosemary and sage commonly low maintenance.
Can you grow herbs indoors?
Yes. Iowa State Extension names basil, cilantro, parsley, rosemary, mint, chives, oregano, thyme and sage as herbs for indoors in winter, ideally with 4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight or a grow light on a timer. The University of Maryland uses a south or west window. Missouri warns that indoor herbs are less productive than outdoor ones.
Which herbs come back every year?
Perennial herbs such as sage, thyme, oregano, chives and mint return each spring where they are winter hardy; University of Missouri Extension rates all five hardy. Rosemary is a perennial too but tender, so in cold areas it winters in a pot indoors. Illinois finds oregano only marginally hardy to zone 5.
Do herbs need full sun?
Most do best with 6 hours or more of direct sun daily, the floor that University of Minnesota Extension and the WSU Master Gardeners both set. Some take less: WSU names parsley and mint as tolerating part shade, and Missouri's herb table lists chives for shade or light shade. Missouri finds herb oils peak with six to eight hours.
How do you start an herb garden?
Pick a sunny spot that drains well, since Missouri says no important herb grows in wet soil, and build a raised bed where water stands. Work in about 4 inches of compost (Missouri), then start seed indoors in late winter and set transplants out after frost danger has passed, as University of Minnesota Extension does.
When is the best time to harvest herbs?
Harvest in the morning after the dew is gone, University of Missouri Extension advises, and for most herbs just as the flower buds start to open, when leaf oils peak; mints peak in full bloom. UNH cuts at most a third of a perennial at once.
What herbs grow well in pots?
Illinois Extension recommends rosemary, thyme, chives, parsley, marjoram, summer savory, Greek oregano, bush basil and the colored sages for containers. Mint does best in a pot of its own, since Illinois says it can be extremely aggressive. Every container needs drainage holes and a loose, well-drained mix.